Life's No Fairytale
by Preciousmetalgirl
Summary: Carrisa Moongrove leaves the city after a fire causes her to lose her job, and her life is turned upside down. Unsure of herself and scared of what she is becoming, she flees, leaving her old life behind to head for Pelican Town, where her grandfather had left her his land in passing.
1. City Girl to Country Hills

**Chapter 1: City Girl to Country Hills**

 _ **Burning**_ _, she felt burning throughout her lungs, her chest, her entire body._ _ **Run!**_ _Move faster! Her legs threatened to betray her, but fear was a better motivator._ _ **Something**_ _was coming. A dark figure was in pursuit, and it moved unnaturally quick. It wasn't human, though she refused to look back and take time to figure out what exactly_ _ **it**_ _was. The dark shadow was on her heels and there was suddenly chanting. It was a different language than her own, yet somehow it felt familiar. A loud shriek came from the monster behind her as it vanished in a blinding flash of light. She turned to see the creature...dissolve? Ashes floated in the wind where it once stood._

 _The voice continued speaking in its ancient tongue. "I don't understand! What do you want?!" The petite girl called out; the woods around her carried her cry in an echo that bounced off every space. She walked for what felt like a half an hour until she finally saw the first landmark since she arrived. Before her stood a tall, dark, stone tower. A sharp twinge of pain behind her eyes and temple caused her to cradle her head._ _ **Fireworks.**_ _The pain felt like fireworks all exploding inside her head and worsened as she approached the tower then stopped suddenly as she reached the door._ _ **Carrissa.**_ _Her name? It said her name._ _ **Turn back. You do not belong here. It's not yet time.**_

 _A hole opened beneath her feet and she began to fall. She tried to scream but no sound escaped her lips. There was nothing for her to grab to stop the fall. She closed her eyes and anticipated the painful yet swift death that awaited her...but it never came._

Or...Maybe death had come, but in the slow and agonizing form of a Joja Cubicle. Her mother was definitely right, life was no fairytale. Dreams of magic, ancient tongues, monsters and spells were not something a twenty three year old should be having at all. As a child, sure, but not as an adult. You were expected to grow up, get a job, work the nine to five, go home, eat, sleep, and repeat. There were no princes on white horses coming to save her from her boring world. If magic did exist, it sure wasn't in her life. There was not an ounce of anything magical about Joja Company, except maybe how she had dealt with the company's bullshit for so long. A sigh escaped Carrissa's lips as she began working through her piles of paperwork. Checking, double checking and triple checking everyone's budget allowances, reports and anything else sent her way made her head swim.

Her headache from this morning lingered into her work day. She massaged her temple in a circular motion as she tried to cease the drums playing in her head, pounding away at her skull. As if her day wasn't bad enough, her boss had come to her cubicle doing his daily progress checks with all the employees. Slave Driver Darrell is what a few of the workers had nicknamed him, and accurately so. Darrell believed strongly in, wait for it... "No breaks on company time, Miss Moongrove. Do you want to have a job at the end of the day?"

"Y-yes sir, it's just... My migraine is back, so I needed just a minute-"

A large hand slammed on her desk before her and knocked some of her personal items from the surface to the floor. "No. Breaks!" The man raised his voice with each word, and Carri's head throbbed worse every moment.

Standing, she glared daggers at her boss. If looks could kill, he would no longer be standing. "No breaks. Coming from the man who does nothing but harp on everyone else all damn day long! Coming from the man who goes on the clock for his lunch, twice a damn day! I needed a fucking minute to take a pill, and that is too much to ask!?" She pushed the paperwork off her desk. "If you can't appreciate us any more than this, then by Yoba, do this yourself!" Flames erupted from her computer at that moment and she stepped back quickly. Darrell ran to grab the fire extinguisher from a nearby wall and smothered the flames.

"Pack what's left of your things, Miss Moongrove. We do not need arsonists in this company."

Carri trembled as she packed the rest of her belongings from her desk. _He thinks...I did that? That isn't even possible... Bad timing, sure, but..._ When she arrived home, she set the box of her things down on her bed. An envelope from her grandfather caught her eye. Opening it carefully and reading the contents a small smile crossed her features. _I could definitely use that escape now, Papa. Thank you._

From the bus, Carrissa watched as the scenery rolled by her. The city faded into green hills as a cold breath left her lips. It was like watching a fairy tale unfold before her. Cement sidewalks and asphalt roads soon turned to dirt roads or small stone walkways. Trees and flowers bloomed beautifully along the sides of the road, and the suffocating, polluted air of the city was replaced by a fresh nature-filled inhalation. The young adult gripped her grandfather's envelope tightly. Maybe this was just the escape she needed. Leaving her past behind was no small task, but maybe her Papa's farm could do just the unwinding trick.

After what seemed like hours, the bus she had chosen finally came to a halt. Standing, with her straight, raven black hair falling halfway down her back, the pale girl adjusted her sunglasses to rest atop her head and her bag strap more comfortably on her shoulder. Taking a deep breath, she stepped off the bus. A woman with a fiery, messy, orange bun approached her, looking over the newcomer with a smile. "Ah, you must be Carrissa! I'm Robin, the town carpenter. Mayor Lewis sent me to fetch you and show you the way back to your home. He is there tidying some things up as we speak." Carrissa nodded as she followed the carpenter, taking a right out of the bus stop and walking a short distance to her soon to be new home.

Walking into the farm was a lot more overwhelming than the young new farmer had hoped. Weeds were overgrown, stone was all over, and fallen branches littered her yard. Taking a deep breath, she walked forward to meet the mayor her grandfather spoke of so highly. Surely they just didn't have time to maintain Breezy Hills. It had been over ten years since her papa's passing.

"Oh! Hello, Miss Moongrove!"

Lewis fidgeted with his mustache a lot as he spoke. She began to wonder if he was as nervous showing her the farm as she was moving in. Pushing that thought aside, she moved forward to shake the man's hand that was now extended towards her. Her wandering mind had once again gotten the best of her as she examined her surroundings as the Mayor and Robin spoke. Her attention was pulled back towards the end of the conversation when Robin spoke up.

"I believe she may be a bit tired from all her traveling, Lewis. I'll see you another time. If ya' need anything, I live in the mountains just northeast of here. There's a path leading from the north of your farm. I hope to help with some upgrades and farm buildings soon!"

Offering a nod of both thank you and agreement, Carrissa brought her attention back to Lewis. "Inside you will find some old tools your grandfather had lying around. They may need to be upgraded to clear out the larger debris, but for the smaller things and getting started this should do. Make sure to get some rest, and afterwards introduce yourself to the townsfolk! They are all pretty excited to meet you."  
"Thank you again, Lewis. I will try my best to do that after getting started." The emerald-orbed girl smiled once more before waving as the mayor departed back towards what she assumed was town.

Just how long had passed since she had been here? Carri couldn't recall the date she last saw her papa. In fact, it had been more of him visiting her in the city than her coming to the farm. Maybe if she had visited more, she would at least know how to make things look better, or at least where to start. For now, she decided on unpacking, getting settled in, and maybe finding those tools Lewis had mentioned.

Hours later, the girl found herself in blue jean overall shorts with a soft red shirt underneath and a pair of workboots. Her belongings had been unpacked, the tools had been found, and she had started clearing out her way to the mountain path. Sweat beaded across her forehead and she wiped it away with her arm. Her desk job had been nothing like the physical labor she was doomed to endure as she cleaned up the farm. Promising herself she would take it slow and stop when it began to get dark was an issue in itself. Carri never cared for giving in early, but with each hill she came across the more she thought she could do. It was close to eight when her energy was spent, maybe a bit too much. The pale girl was surely sunburnt and her muscles ached with every movement. However, she had yet to plant the parsnips given to her by Lewis. She made planting the seeds her last task for the night before heading in.

The next morning came too swiftly. Carri rolled over in bed and smacked her buzzing alarm off the table. A groan escaped her lips before she could muster the strength to crawl out of bed. Slinking her legs over the edge of her mattress, she tied her hair back and pulled on another set of overalls.

"Time to get this over with," She mumbled while rubbing the last bit of sleep from her eyes. Stepping into the bright sunlight was worse than having a light turned on while you are just waking up, in her opinion. Worse than that, though, was her eyes adjusting to the outside brightness just to see crows pecking at her newly planted parsnips!

"NO! NO! NO!" She bolted off her porch and towards the crops, she waved her arms, shooing the pesky birds away. As the birds took flight, a burning smell filled her with a sense of dread. Turning around to look at her crops, she witnessed all the small sprouts wilting as flames engulfed the patch. "Oh, shit, oh, shit..."

Before thinking, Carri tried to stomp out the burning plants, leaving a small burn on her leg, but successfully putting the fire out. _What was going on? First the fire at her terminal, now the fire here. There had to be a logical explanation_. _Magic doesn't exist. This is real life, not some fairytale._ Her mother had drilled that into her enough. But why did all these odd occurrences have to keep happening around her?

* * *

Thank you for reading! If you liked it please leave a review! And if you want to chat with me, I can be found on tumblr at

Also check out my awesome beta, Little cakes on AO3 or on tumblr under Tinyconfectionary !


	2. Trophy Fathers

**A/N: Gonna do my best to update this on a biweekly basis. Here's chapter two!**

* * *

Chapter 2: Trophy Fathers

Summer's raging temperatures had finally decreased; the season was almost over, and Carrissa was thankful for the light, cool breeze fall promised to deliver. After she finished tending her crops and disposing of the ones that would not produce the next season, she made one last trip to her coop. She rushed around as she fed her chickens, Selice and Marley, making sure to pet each of them before collecting the large eggs and gathering the mayonnaise from her maker.

"Sorry guys, I promise I'll spend more time with you tomorrow!"

When she left the farm building and exited her surrounding fence, she saw Maru near her farm exit. A smile spread across her features as she ran to meet her best friend. "Maru, hey! Did you get the soil samples your dad wanted?"

The carpenter's daughter held up a few labeled bags of soil. "Yeah, now that we've gotten some from your farm, we can help you decide where to plant your fall crops. I'm going to bring these to the lab. Meet you at my place after you're done with your errands?"

"Yeah, see you there, Maru!"

Maru adjusted her glasses and waved, leaving the farm towards her mountain home.

Carrissa entered her house, showered, and changed before grouping up her offerings to the junimos for the summer season. It had been a few months since Lewis had opened up the community center for her. She tried cleaning up most of the mess, but a lot of the furnishings were run down and beyond her repair. She wanted to do something about it, and in exchange for her gifts, the Junimos seemed fine with helping her.

Maru frequently asked her why she visited the run down building and lectured her on how it probably wasn't safe. How would she ever explain the sprites to her? _"Hey, I know we are, like, super logical adults an stuff, but did you know about the little magical guys running around the abandoned community center?" Yeah, that would go well._

 _"By the way Maru, um, that burn you helped me with wasn't just an accident! I kind of torched my crops!" Yeah, perfect. Perfect if I'm trying to lose my best friend and get Harvey to commit me._

* * *

When Carri arrived on the beach around noon, Sam and Vincent were the only two there. The farmer walked over to Sam and took a seat beside him in the sand as she watched Vincent play. The sound of waves crashing against the shore created such a soothing ambience that it could have put her to sleep. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. _The beach is the best for unwinding after tending my crops and animals for sure. So peaceful and quiet._ Sam's voice interrupted her train of thought. "Ya know, I take Vincent here a lot during the summer. Our dad used to take us here when it was sunny out."

Carrissa turned to face the blonde. Today was the first day he had brought his dad up in conversation, and she didn't want to interrupt. This was a touchy topic, that was evident by the way Sam looked off into the horizon somewhere far across the ocean's rippling waves and past the sun's rays reflecting on the water surface and his fists clenched at his sides. After hearing the mention of their father, Vincent dropped his toys and came over to the two. "Sam? Is dad ever gonna come home?"

Sam forced a smile for his brother's sake. "Of course, Vince! Dad is gonna come back as soon as he can."

"But, I heard some grown ups talking about how people were getting shot to pieces." The young child frowned as tears threatened to fall.

"Don't you listen to any of that!" There was an angry tick in his voice. Who would talk like that in front of a child whose dad is at war? "Do you remember how strong dad is?" He flexed his muscles and let a grin grace his face. "He'd never let the pathetic Gotoro grunts get him like that! And always remember that mom and I are here to play with you if you ever get lonely. Okay, bud?" He patted his younger brother's head reassuringly as Vincent went back to playing in the sand.

When his brother was out of earshot, he continued, "Honestly, I have no idea if my old man will come back...We've all read the reports. Our soldiers are falling by the thousands, but what am I supposed to tell Vincent?"

Carri thought hard on her next words. It was hard seeing Sam seem so vulnerable. Out of her circle of friends she made in the valley, he was her sun, as corny as it sounded. He was literally the ray of positivity in their group and she'd be damned if she let him feel down and out. "Hey, you did the right thing. Kids should have hope, and so should you, Sammy. I'm sure you will see your dad again." She patted her friend's back. "Ya know, I still hope to meet my dad again."

 _He isn't the only one who doesn't like to speak of his parents._ She released a breath that she hadn't realized she had been holding. She looked over to Sam and it was as if his eyes were asking for her to continue. "My dad left when I was five. I remember him and my mother fighting. Ya know, it was my fault now that I think about it." She leaned back propping herself up on her elbows in the sand.

"I didn't really understand why he was so mad or why he left." She looked over to him, and saw worry in the crease of his brow. _Aw, come on, Carri! You are supposed to be cheering him up! Not bringing him down._ "A-anyway, I think kids need hope. We all do. Life would just suck without it. They need something to dream of, something to look forward to."

Sam smiled at Carri. The farmer looked so peaceful, leaning back, propped up in the sand. "You're right. Thanks, dude!"

Getting up from her spot, she dusted the sand off her clothing, legs and arms. "See ya around, Sammy. I've gotta meet up with Maru and check some stuff out! See ya around!" Offering a wave as goodbye, she headed north of the beach and through the town, making her way to the mountain home in which her best friend resided.

* * *

"Thanks for helping us set the table, Carri." Robin grinned as she and Maru carried serving dishes full of steaming hot spaghetti and garlic rolls to the table. It was becoming a norm for the family to have Carrissa over for lunch and in exchange for their hosting she always brought crops or fish to contribute. "I have one last favor to ask of you before we eat."

Before the carpenter voiced her thought, Carri knew good and well what she wanted. "I'll go get him." She gently knocked on the basement door. "I'm coming in, Sebastian." The basement was enveloped in darkness minus the light coming from the computer screen; the scent of menthol filled the room. Rapidly tapping at his keyboard, Sebastian sat in the faint glow of his monitor. "Food's ready and Robin wanted me to get you."

"I'm busy working. Can't you tell?" Short and to the point, just like Sebastian. Carri sighed, not willing to accept his answer.

"Seb, you're always working unless you're smoking, sleeping or hanging with Sam and Abby. Would it kill you to spend just a little time with your family? Your mom wants to eat as a family for once, and after how hard she has worked putting together a meal, you should at least give her that."

Sebastian stood with such force that his office chair flung back and loudly struck the wall. Being told what to do was not something he found enjoyable. "The only _family_ I have here is mom. Why should I have to sit through dinner with _him_ and his _perfect daughter?_ Or you for that matter? You seem to be taking my place in this family anyway." The look on his face was a mix of pain and anger.

Carri released a frustrated growl. "Would you stop being so damn selfish?! Look, just because you don't like Demetrius, doesn't mean you should hurt your mom and sister. What did Maru ever do to you?"

"Everything she does is just perfect, she's so smart!- Did you know she's on the successful track in life?" A heavy weight hung in the air between the two. "As soon as I have the money, I'm out of here." Pulling his chair back to his desk, Sebastian took his seat once more. "No one ever bothers mom when she is working or Maru when she's at the clinic. Do you guys just think I'm playing computer games? I'm a programmer. I _do_ have a job. I _do_ make my own money. Now if you would, leave me to it."

Carrissa fought back angry tears, taking steps two at a time as she climbed to the exit of the basement. _Is that really what he thinks? Demetrius cares about both of them. He may be more tough on Sebastian, but it's because he hides away all day. He just wants what's best for both his kids… And Maru shouldn't be held accountable for their father's actions toward him._ Taking a deep breath, she composed herself before opening the door.

Carri took her spot at the table and spun her fork in the noodles before her. Robin's spaghetti was amazing, but her appetite was nonexistent after her quarrel with Sebastian. Before she knew it, everyone had finished eating and conversation ensued. "I'm gonna go a bit early today. I have a lot of chores to do, and I wanted to check out the mines and see if I can gather some copper ore for Clint. Thank you again, Robin! See you guys later!"

Lifting her bag from the couch near the entrance, Carri tossed it over her shoulder and headed for the mines. _Yoba, I need to hit something._

* * *

 **Again, thank you for reading! If you wanna talk, add my tumblr! ShriaLaharra**


	3. A Trip to the Mines

Chapter 3: A Trip to the Mines

Carrissa took a deep breath as she entered the mines. To the left, there was a broken down mine cart and ahead... _an old guy I've never met? I thought Lewis said I had met everyone. What's with his getup? A cape, walking stick and an eye patch?_ "Um… Hello? Are you alright, sir?" Her voice pulled the man's attention from the hole he was peering down.

"I was just checking out this mine shaft. It seems it's been abandoned for decades, but there is probably good ore down there."

"Actually, I was here to search for ore! Clint requested some copper ore and in exchange he's upgrading my tools." Was this her lucky day or what? All she had to do was go down a creaky, old ladder into a dark hole. _Yeah, no biggie. Nothing could_ _ **possibly**_ _go wrong. You've got this, Carri!_

"But a dark place, undisturbed for so long...I'm afraid ore may not be the only thing you find down there." _Or not._

"So, like bats and spiders?" The raven haired girl shrugged. "It's not like nature is the worst thing in the world."

"There could be much worse than that, but if you're sure you want to go down, at least take this." The old man dug through his bag before pulling out a wooden sword and passing it to Carri. "The name's Marlon by the way. I run the Adventurers' Guild outside of here."

"No offense, but if there is worse than that, why only give me a wooden sword?" Lifting the sword, she swung it about like a child with a toy.

"This," he motioned to her, "is exactly why I gave you a wooden sword. Do you think I'm gonna give just _anyone_ a real sword without evaluating them- making sure they know how to use one?"

"I've seen movies. How hard could it be?" She rolled her eyes as he tapped his walking stick on the ground away from him.

"If you insist it's not so hard then come at me with all you've got. Surely, you can get a hit on an old man. I'm not as agile as I once was."

"Don't blame me, if you get hurt, old man!" _This should be easy. He's leaving himself wide open!_ Holding the wooden sword with two hands, she charged forward, swinging horizontally when she got close. She was met not with a satisfying _thunk_ she was expecting, but a moment of confusion as the man stepped into the attack and ducked the blade. Having thrown all her weight into the swing, she stumbled. His foot darted out, connecting with her ankle and sent her crashing to the ground. Pain flared in her shoulder as she landed and then in her head as she felt the smack from his walking cane.

Carri cradled her throbbing head as he stood over her, his head shaking in disbelief. "Just because you think you have an opening, doesn't mean there is one! Evaluate the situation and never underestimate your enemy."

She growled through "You are the one who said you weren't agile!"

"As agile as I once was." He corrected. "Now, try again, and this time use your brain."

Hours of practice and many cane smacks later, Marlon finally decided she might be able to wield a blade after all. Giving her a rusty sword, he departed. Carri sighed as she glanced at her watch. It was already four in the afternoon, and she hadn't managed to get a single ore. _Tomorrow, then…_

Shaking her head in defeat, she made her way back towards the farmhouse. She wouldn't have much time to get ready for dinner at Jodi's with how much time she had spent in the mines. Lucky for her, she had caught a largemouth bass just the day before.

A quick shower and change of clothes later, Carri made her way back into town with a cooler in her hand to keep the fish fresh as possible. She headed south through the town square and was just about to turn at Emily and Haley's home when she heard him. "Watch out!" The petite girl quickly raised her arms in defense against the oncoming skateboard and boy as she screamed. She didn't have time to dodge and braced for impact! Which... never came?

Carri's eyes widened in panic as she took in the sight. Sam who had been skateboarding on the rail of Emily's flower bed attempting a kick flip, now laid on the ground from his fall. His board was frozen to the side of the bartender's house, parallel to the ground. As the blonde sat up, he looked from the board to Carri then back. "C-Carri? What the hell?" He stood and touched the ice in disbelief. "What is-"

"SAMSON! YOU BETTER NOT BE SKATEBOARDING ON PRIVATE PROPERTY AGAIN!" Lewis' voice came from afar and Sam turned white as a ghost.

"Shoot, Carri, help me break this down! If Lewis sees I will be in trouble again!" Still in shock, Carri nodded and moved to help him break the board loose. "On the count of three! 1...2….3!" He exclaimed as they pushed down together and managed to break it from its icy prison. "Let's get inside, quick!" Sam hauled Carri into his home by the hand. A soft sigh fell from his lips when the door clicked behind them.

The raven haired girl stared off into space as she tried to figure out just what was going on. _Life's no fairytale, Carri. Life's no fairytale… But magic, it exists. And I_ _ **can't**_ _escape it._

Taking her hand in his, Sam lead Carri to his bedroom and gently shut the door, hoping his mother wouldn't have heard them entering the house. It was almost seven and the clinks and clanks of dishes sounded from the kitchen as Jodi busied herself with preparing dinner. "Yoba, what the hell, Carri?! How did you do that? That was insane!"

Body trembling, she looked up to Sam who stood inches taller than her. "W-what's wrong with me, Sam?" Tears began to form and fall down her cheeks. "What _**am**_ I?"

"Hey, calm down, alright?" He gently rubbed the now sobbing girl's back and pulled her into a hug. "I didn't mean to upset you. It's just- not every day do you see something like that! Have you always had magical powers? Dude, we gotta tell Seb and Abs! They are never gonna believe me!"

Carri vehemently shook her head and pulled away from his warm embrace. "Please don't tell anyone, Sam! If I explain what I know will you promise not to tell?" Her friend frowned but nodded and with that confirmation, Carri began to tell him everything, from the fire at Joja to the fire on the farm, now the ice here. "I-I don't know why it happens, or how. I always tried to chalk it up to a freak accident before." Her head lowered. "I guess I'm right. Just, I'm the freak here instead." She had finally stopped crying, but now she seemed lost.

"No, you-"

A knock at his door startled the boy and he looked apologetically over to Carri. Jodi opened his door and gave Sam a 'We'll-talk-later' look, but smiled warmly at the girl. "So you've come to join us after all. I'm glad, and I see you brought the bass! Sam, could you clean it up so I can add it to the casserole? Dinner will be ready soon, Carri! It's so nice to have you!"

"A-actually, Jodi, I was just going to drop off the fish and go. I don't want to intrude." _I just want to go home._

"You are no intrusion, sweetie! You are basically family! Now, come and sit at the table. It shouldn't be much longer."

Jodi left Sam's room with the two of them behind her. Carri sat at the table as told, but her mind once again had wandered off. It wasn't until she noticed everyone was staring at her and food had been placed before her that she realized she missed a question. "I-I'm sorry? What was that?"

"I asked how things were going on the farm?" Jodi repeated with a concerned look on her face. "You seem to stay pretty busy now. You should make sure to stop by more often and have dinner with us. You are always welcome here!"

"Y-yeah, I'm sorry. I've been drained. I finally cleared the field completely and have a decent number of crops plus my chickens and Addie to take care of. I will try to visit more… Sorry for worrying you."

The rest of dinner went by with short replies from Carri and Vincent excitedly talking about his adventures with Jas. Sam continued glancing at Carri between bites until dinner was over. "Mom, I'm gonna walk Carri home. It's getting late."

"Alright, but don't stay out too late!" Jodi stood from her spot at the table and began gathering dishes. "Vincent, bath then bed." Together, Sam and Carri walked out of his home as she mentally prepared for an awkward walk back to the farmhouse.


	4. Too Many Questions

**Chapter 4: Too Many Questions**

With neither Sam nor Carri speaking for most of the walk, silence hung heavily between them. Carri felt his gaze burning through her as they reached her cabin in Breezy Hills. "Ya' know, I'm not Vincent. You didn't have to walk me home like I'm some child needing an adult." Her venom laced words rolled off her tongue, and Sam flinched at the sharpness of her tone.

Biting his lip, he nodded. "I know that, but I also know you are my friend, and you are scared. I wasn't about to leave you alone without making sure you are okay. I can't pretend to know how all this feels, but seriously, dude, if you need me, you know I'm here- right?" _Yeah, right._

"You can't even start to imagine what I'm going through! I'm a fucking _**freak**_ , Sam." Water began pooling in her tear ducts blurring her vision. "I'm not normal. Why the fuck do you still try to be nice? I could've fucking hurt you when you were skating! Why aren't you scared of me? I'm a fucking monster!" _Fuck, don't cry now…_ Not that her body listened to her brain anyway, but it was worth a shot.

"Carri-" Sam stepped forward, now inches away from her, and placed his hands on her shoulders reassuringly. "You are not a monster. You wouldn't have hurt me, and that didn't happen either way, so why worry about it now?"

Carri's eyes locked with his. _He doesn't understand. He's not listening._ "Sam, unplug your yobadamned ears! I _**can't**_ control this! I don't even know what this is! There is no promise I wouldn't have hurt you!" Fear flooded through her words, her body shook and hands began growing cold. Quickly, she shoved Sam away from her with such a force he staggered backward and fell to the ground. "J-just go away and leave me alone!" Running to the confines of her home, slamming and locking her door behind her, she crumpled to the ground and finally let those held tears fall.

* * *

 _ **Carrissa, it's time for you to awaken.**_ _That fucking voice again. Carrissa jolted awake. Not bothering to get dressed aside from a pair of shoes, she left the house with Addie whimpering for her to stay. Closing the door behind her, she sprinted to Cindersnap forest West of Marnie's Ranch. Ignoring her eruption of a migraine that threatened to detonate inside her skull, she approached a small lake followed by a tower. That same tower from before, but this time it was different. As she approached the lone building's door, no hole opened below her. Instead, the door swung open. A purple hair, bearded man stood inside away from the door._ _ **I've been waiting for you, Carrissa Moongrove. Wake up.**_

Carrissa's eyes shot open, her hands moved to cradle her throbbing head as she tried to make out her new surroundings. "W-where am I?" _Am I still dreaming? Is this that tower?_ The surroundings definitely looked like the inside of a stone tower. All kind of potion bottles and a giant cauldron sat in the room before her along with the purple haired man. "Who are you and why am I here?!"

"It would seem you already know where you are. Yes, you are in the stone tower in Cindersnap Forest. No, you are not still dreaming. As for who I am, I am the great Wizard, M. Rasmodius." Carri's eyes widened. _How did he-?_ Before she could even finish the thought, he answered. "We magical beings can read minds too, if and when we want to. I see you have been suffering with growing into your powers."

Carri stood awestruck before the man she just met. He already knew what she didn't want anyone else to know. Then the idea struck her, "Wait! Does that mean you know what is causing them? Or how to help me control them? Or to take them away? I just want to be normal- I never asked for all this. Life is no fairytale, and it's better off that way."

The wizard raised his eyebrow and gave her a quizzical look. "You were born with arcane talents. I'm afraid that those cannot be removed" The older man began pacing the main room looking for a spellbook. "They can be sealed, but we see how well that worked out for you. Your seal has broken and your powers are flooding through with your emotions."

"Wait, my emotions?" Thinking back Carrissa remembered the first flicker of power was in Joja. When she was mad at her boss and torched the computer station. She **was** furious. When her crops were being attacked by the crows, she was upset, but she wasn't mad when at Sam when he almost hit her. "I wasn't mad when Sam was skating. So how-"

"You were threatened; your powers reacted. You were in danger. Simple as that. As for furthering your abilities," Rasmodius held up the books he had been gathering while speaking, "I have some reading material for you to use to learn some on your own. However, I strongly suggest not using your powers unless you are with me. You seem most attuned to elemental spells, but that barrier can be passed with a lot of practice and studying." After what felt like absorbing hours of information, Carri began to drift off. There was so much more she wanted to know, but sleep began to overtake her. "We will meet every Wednesday and Sunday to work on your magic control. Until then, young adept."

* * *

 **A/N: I'm so so so sorry this took so long to get out. Life has been super hectic, dealing with the loss of a family member and battling my depression, I've just lacked motivation. I'm not entirely happy with this chapter's amount of dialogue, but I feel it was necessary to move on with plot. Anyway, thank you to all of you still reading! I appreciate you all!**


	5. Dance of the Moonlight Jellies

The wizard's words haunted Carri's dreams. Sitting up in her bed, drenched in a cold sweat she felt tears streaming down her face. _These stupid dreams are really starting to get the best of me._ Oh, how she wished it was all just a dream. Reality checked in, however, when she noticed she had her mud covered boots on her feet. _So it was real? I'm a monster who can't control her magic and can't get rid of it. Even a seal wouldn't help._ Glancing to her bedside, she noticed a stack of books. Mentally making a note to read them after taking care of Selice, Marley and Addie, she set off to do her farm work for the day.

After harvesting all her crops and preparing the soil for the next season, Carri took some quality time with her animals. It had been a while since she had actually had the time to sit down and play with them. Sitting in the green grass while watching her chickens graze was peaceful, but what really topped off the relaxing feel was her german shepherd, golden retriever mix laying her head on her lap while next to her. "Ya know, Addie, I've been so busy lately running errands for everyone and trying to spend time with everyone that I forgot how nice it could be to just take a day off." The beautiful mut nuzzled into her owner as if she understood. "Maybe, I should just take a break from it all. No social interactions, no festivals, no anything." After letting the animals back in, Carri trekked back to her cabin. Changing back into pajamas and not planning to do anything else for the day besides eat and read, she plopped onto her bed and opened the first book and read until sleep overtook her.

The next week passed swiftly and she maintained mostly the same routine. Feed the animals, spend some extra time petting and playing with them, then forage and visit Rasmodius. Though they had decided on Wednesdays and Sundays to be their days for practice, Carri found herself longing for more information.

"Rasmodius, look! I did it!" She wore the grin of a child who just learned a new trick as she held out her hand for him to view a small flame dancing above the surface of her skin. With the other hand she directed its movement and growth before closing her hands together and suffocating the flame completely.

"That is quite the start. Not even a week, and you have managed to create and control the flame to a degree. I'm impressed, young Carrissa. Next we will start with the ice, and maybe even teach you a basic spell or two."

Carri smiled at the praise, but that smile faltered when he phone began to vibrate. _Maru._ "I'm sorry, I have to take this call." Nodding in response, the wizard stepped away and began sorting his things. "Hey, Maru." _Yeah, act like you haven't been avoiding her or EVERYONE for a week._

"Carri!" Her excited voice flooded through the receiver. "Are you okay? You haven't been around in a while, so I started to get worried. I went by your house to check on you a few times, but you were never home."

Carri paced as she spoke. "Y-yeah, sorry. I've been spending a lot of time foraging." _It's not a full lie. I have been foraging._ "Just needed some space to sort some stuff out."

"That's fine. We all like to be alone sometimes, but next time at least check in!" Maru sounded like a scolding parent whose child had just moved out. Carri shook her head and giggled, trying to muffle her laugh. "Anyway, I called to ask you about tonight's festival! Are you coming to the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies?"

Carri inwardly cringed. The last "dance" she had gone to, she felt like an outsider invading town. No one knew her well enough to want to dance with her, and they all had their cliques. "Um… I really don't know if I'm up for another dance."

"This one isn't really a dance. Lewis sends out a boat with a lantern on it, and a bunch of jellyfish approach the docks. It's beautiful. Even moody Sebastian likes this festival. Everyone in town comes to this one. Even the hermit who lives in the woods comes out for this one."

Carri held back her laughter as she shot a side glance to the Wizard. "A hermit in the woods, huh?" That caught the man's attention, and he raised an eyebrow. "I guess I will have to come to meet him. Can't be part of the town without getting to know _everyone_."

Maru chuckled. "Good luck with that. I've never seen him speak to anyone but maybe," she hummed as she mentally counted the people, "Lewis, Marlon, and Linus. You really should come though. Everyone's missing you. Sam and Abby asked about you when they came to see Sebastian not too long ago."

Giving it a moment of thought, Carri smiled and agreed. "Yeah, I'll be there. It'll be nice to see everyone." _Well, some of them anyway._ Still upset with Sam for not understanding, she could care less to see him. Not until her powers were under control. _I do miss that sunshine boy though._

Maru's voice broke her out of her trance. She shook her head and tried to quell the flushing of her cheeks. "So I guess I will see you there! Bye, Carri." A click of the phone and a sigh from the farmer, summoned Rasmodius to her side.

"So, you go to the Dance of the Moonlight Jellies?" Curiosity got the best of her. "Sounds a little odd for you to break out of your 'hermit' shell."

"I go to observe the Lunaloos… Or 'Moonlight Jellies' as you call them. They possess an unusually potent magical aura for an aquatic life form." He stated matter of factly before donning a mischievous grin. "If you plan to attend, you better go prepare yourself. I doubt you want to go in charred clothing from your failed attempts this morning. I doubt that would impress your love interest."

"M-My what?!" With deep crimson blush, Carri turned, refusing to face the wizard as she gathered her things. "He's not my love interest. He is just a friend. Though, I haven't seen anyone in a week, so coming like my home was set ablaze is probably a bad idea. I will see you there." With that the witch in training, ran from the tower all the way to her cabin. When she arrived she made sure to let Addie out while she showered.

 _Stupid Rasmodius. He's not anything like that. I mean, he means a lot to me, but no way! We are just friends! Damn it, Carri! You're a freak. Why would he or ANYONE want to be with a freak?_ Depression settled back in, like an uninvited family member, overwriting all of her progress for the day. _Forget makeup. I'll probably just cry it off anyway._ She reached for her clothing when her shower was over and her body was deemed dry. Sliding into her faded slightly torn blue jean shorts, a pair of black sandals, a black tank top and her red and black checkered flannel overshirt tied loosely at her waist she deemed herself ready. Setting her signature red sunglasses atop her head, she was ready and walked out her front door to head for the beach.

Carri arrived just before midnight and made sure to talk to all the town folk aside from Sam and Sebastian. She was happy she showed up around the same time as Abigail, knowing the goth girl would join Sam and Sebastian shortly before the event started. Carri couldn't help but feel a little bad over avoiding everyone for a week. Everyone asked about her. Jodi wanted to make sure she was eating enough, Robin said if it had anything to do with Sebastian she would handle it, and even Vincent was excited to see her again, going on and on about how cool the jellies were and how he wanted one as a pet, but Sam wouldn't catch him one.

And that was when the mistake was made, the farmer glanced across the docks and saw Sam staring at her. She could tell he wanted to approach her, but she wasn't ready to see him yet. Turning quickly on her heels and heading the other way, she approached Rasmodius who shared history of the Lunaloos with her. When midnight struck, Lewis sent off his boat and not even a few minutes after he did, the water was filled with magnificent lights approaching the docks from all over. A specific large green jellyfish caught her eye as it approached and stopped directly before her. "They can sense you are destined for great things, young adept. Take it in stride as you continue your arcane and elemental studies." The jellies danced in the water before the townspeople, but as swiftly as they came, they began their retreat back to the ocean depths.

 _Maru was right, this festival was absolutely beautiful._

 ** _A/N:_** **Thank you again for reading! Feel free to leave me a review and let me know what you think! Thank you to all those who have followed Life's No Fairytale!**


	6. Jodi's Birthday

Cool wind whisked through Breezy Hills Farm, whipping through Carri's long black hair and played as a reminder that Fall had definitely arrived. The valley had cooled down so much since Summer, and both the farmer and her plants enjoyed it so much more. Looking up from her plants she was tending, Carri felt her blood run cold. _Fuck, Sam, what the hell are you doing here?_ It had been since that summer day when she froze his skateboard to the wall that she had actually spoken to him, and he looked as awkward as she felt. Noticing Vincent at Sam's side, she knew she would have to be more adult than she had been. "Hey! Vincent, Sam, how have you been?" Putting on her best fake smile before shooting Sam a glare, Carri wiped the dirt off her jeans and approached them as they reached her porch.

Sam's hair was tousled and in its normal spiky state, but the bags under his eyes indicated he hadn't been getting much sleep. She could feel her glare melt away to a look of concern before Vincent answered her question. "Carri! We need your help! Mom's birthday is tomorrow, and Sam can't cook! He even burns frozen pizza sometimes! Will you please please help us make her dinner?" Carri couldn't help but chuckle. She never saw Sam as the type to do well at taking care of himself, but with a mother like Jodi always helping him with everything, it was surprising he even knew how to clean his room.

Carri glanced to Sam waiting for him to speak up or anything, but he just looked away. Apparently asking for help was Vincent's idea and not his. Not that she could blame him. With how cold she had been toward him, it was surprising he didn't shut down the idea immediately, however, his lack of speaking was getting on her nerves. "So...what needs to be done, Sam?"

Sam turned to face her and blushed instantly at how close she had moved to him. She was in his face with a big grin and her hands on her hips. "U-um… Well, we were gonna clean the house for her and cook dinner." He shifted his weight nervously and ran his hand through his hair. "She works all the time to keep our house clean and cooking for us, but tomorrow is her birthday and she is going to work out with the other ladies. So she will be out of the house from 10am-7pm. I- I mean VIncent- thought...maybe if you helped… we could have everything looking good and have her favorite meal prepared when she got back."

Carrissa turned her attention back to Vincent and smiled. "Well, I'm glad Vincent thought of it. I have been trying to think of something to do for Jodi anyway, so sure, count me in." _It's time we fixed this awkward mess anyway, Sammy._ "I'll make sure to have my chores done by then and meet you at your house at 10:15. That way I can be sure Jodi is out before I show up. Any specific meal?"

"Chocolate Cake!" Vincent jumped up and down in excitement. "Mom's favorite is chocolate cake!"

Carrissa couldn't help but grin at the young boy's excitement. "Okay, so chocolate cake, and what for the actual meal, Sam?" After discussing the meal and dessert, the group decided on Crispy Bass, a vegetable medley and the chocolate cake. "Well, I easily have the veggies and the bass, So I will run by Pierre's and pick up the chocolate cake ingredients today and meet you guys in the morning."

"See ya then." Sam offered a smile before taking Vincent and leaving the farm. The boys waved as they strolled away. A yell of goodbye could be heard from Vincent as they headed towards town.

The rest of the day flew by for Carri. Saying she was excited to spend time with Jodi and her family tomorrow was an understatement, but a certain statement from the wizard had her completely debating how to dress. _Love interest. I guess I do have a crush on him…_ Carri pouted as she held up outfit after outfit against her thin frame as she peered into the mirror. _I want to look cute, but not desperate. Plus we are cleaning so I need something I can move in._ After finally settling on a pair of blue jean shorts that rested well above her knee, a black tank top and her red and black flannel jacket that she wore open and tied at the waist, she figured she was done.

The next morning came swiftly and the raven haired girl had hardly any sleep. _Had to stay up all night thinking about Sam didn't I…_ A sigh fell from her lips as she finished her farmwork and gardening in record time so she could shower and get dressed into her outfit she chose the night before. Carri packed all of her things into a basket and headed over to Sam's like promised. When she arrived, Sam could be heard through the door. "Vincent! Play in your room for now! It will make cleaning up harder if you are playing in EVERY ROOM." The farmer laughed as she knocked on the door and laughed even harder as she heard Sam shuffling to get to the door.

"Someone sounds like they need help." She said as he opened the door and she propped herself up against the doorframe.

Sam gave her a quick eye roll, before taking the basket from her. "Maybe I was managing just fine, thank you." He held the door for her as she entered then placed the basket in the kitchen. "So, uh, Vincent is now in his room playing. He wants to help you with the cake though."

"I will get him and we'll start the cake. It will need to cool before we can ice it anyway. So once it's setting, I can help with some of the cleaning." Glancing around the house, Carri shook her head. _She's been gone fifteen minutes, and he already has the house looking like a tornado went through it. How did you even manage to do this, Sam?_

After about an hour of teaching Vincent how to make a three layer cake, Carri rushed to do the dishes. Vincent was still licking the cake mix he spooned out of the bowl. "When you are done with that, set it in the sink for me to wash later, okay?" The boy nodded as Carrissa finished wiping down the mess the two had made before setting off to see how Sam was holding up. "Hey, Sam, you know the list of chores I wrote you doesn't do itself if you read it over and over." Her playful tone broke him out of his staring contest with the slip in his hand.

"I know that!" He countered. "I just don't know where to start. This list is HUGE! How are we ever gonna finish all this?"

"We will start at the top since I wrote everything in order…" Taking the list from Sam, Carri pointed out what to do first. "Always tidy up the room first, then dust and furniture polish. After that clean the windows then do the floor. Always take out trash last, or you will have to do it twice."

Sam nodded then began picking up Vincent's toys that were splayed all over the living room floor. After everything was straightened and put in its place, Carri and the sunshine boy began dusting. Using the Webster, the farmer took care of the ceiling and fans, down to the baseboards and afterwards Sam dusted all the tables.

After a few moments of silence, the blonde couldn't take it anymore. "It's nice to have you around again, Carri, and thanks again for helping with this. There is no way me and Vincent would have done this right."

"I've been meaning to stop by but I've been busy lately." Carrissa reached for the mantle, but couldn't quite reach the top, so she pulled a chair over and climbed up to dust the mantle of the fireplace. Her legs wobbled beneath her and she lost balance right towards the end. Sam however, quickly moved behind her and caught her.

"You okay?" He asked before setting her down.

"I'm fine!" Carrissa looked away and continued cleaning once she was back on the chair, but this time, Sam didn't leave her side. Instead he held the back of her exposed legs to support her as she stood. With both of their faces stained crimson, they avoided eye contact. "T-thanks for catching me, Sammy."

After vacuuming the living room, the two made their way to Vincent's room, where the young boy also helped clean by making his bed and gathering his laundry, while the adults picked up his toys and placed them in his toybox. On their hands and knees, the two picked up the toys and took turns throwing the less likely to break ones into the toybox. "He shoots! He scoooooores!" Sam laughed while Carri clapped.

"And the crowd goes wild as Samson makes the game winning shot! Looks like the sunshine boy has led his team to the championship playoffs!"

Vincent stared at the two and shook his head. "How come you two get to play with my toys, but I have to clean?" A big grin crossed his face as he left the room. "I know! You two have to clean under my bed then! That's where Jas hides a lot of my toys when we play."

Sam and Carri sighed in unison as they lay down and reached under Vincent's bed, pulling out many toys that had been hidden away. One in particular almost reached the back wall, and both young adults tried to reach for it. Instead of finding the toy, Sam's hand gripped Carri's. She could feel her heart fluttering wildly in her chest as her stomach flipped. _His hand is so soft and warm._ As the warmth left, she missed the feeling of his hand on hers. "Sorry! I didn't mean to hold your hand! Uh...shit…" Sam's spoken words hurt the farmer more than she cared to admit. _Of course it wasn't on purpose, Carri._

 _"_ Don't worry about it. It was just an accident, but we really should finish cleaning. I have to ice the cake soon." With that statement, Carri grabbed the last toy from under the bed and tossed it in the toy box. When the two finished cleaning Vincent's room, they moved to Sam's room while Vincent watched television in the living room. Carri viewed the room and sighed. "Yours too, huh?" All of the band equipment was pulled out in the middle of the room, there were papers crumpled up and tossed everywhere on the floor, his bed wasn't made and there was a pile of laundry on the ground beside his laundry basket rather than in it. "Tsk tsk, Sammy."

The blonde's face heated at her judgemental viewing of his room. "Look, creativity takes a toll! That toll just happens to be the cleanliness of my room!" Defensiveness held heavy in his tone as he began picking up his dirty clothes and putting them in the basket.

"Is creativity why you look like you haven't slept in weeks?" The raven haired girl countered.

"M-maybe, what's it to you?" She shrugged off his question, and he left his room with the basket in tow to start his laundry.

 _Creativity, huh? I wonder what you've been writing._ As he was out of the room, Carri began uncrumpling some of his wadded up paper balls that littered his floor. Some were just random lines for songs written by Abby or Sebastian; others were applications for gigs in Zuzu City. It wasn't until she opened the one closest to the trash can that her attention was truly stolen. _This one isn't like a song. It's a poem? And in Sam's hand writing._

 **Pretty little songbird, how I love your song.**

 **My world was only silence before you came along.**

 **Eyes like emeralds, feathers like night,**

 **Won't you come back and hear my plight?**

 **Winter stole you away, on that fateful day,**

 **Now without your song, I wither away.**

 **I wait for the day the wind will Carri you home,**

 **Cuz pretty little songbird without you, I'm completely alone.**

Carri reached up and wiped her tears away. _Eyes like emeralds… feathers like night… winter stole you away, Carri. This poem was about me? How could I be so stupid?_ She took and folded the paper, placing it in her pocket just as Sam came back to the room. She sniffled as she threw the rest of the papers away.

Sam stepped directly behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "H-hey, are you okay?" Carri couldn't face him. Her body shook lightly with silent sobs. Her shaking stopped entirely though, when his arms wrapped around her and held her tightly. "Please don't cry. I was just messing with you. I didn't mean to upset you."

With a shake of her head, Carri turned around and returned his hug fully. "I'm sorry, Sam. I've been so stupid." Tears stained her cheeks and continued to fall as she spoke. "I pushed you away because I was scared. I won't do that again." Her grip on him tightened. "I'm so so so sorry." Swiftly, she moved to her tiptoes and lightly kissed the side of his lips. A blush stained her features as she started to pull away. _Way to miss my first kiss. Ugh, why am I so bad at this?!_

Sam's eyes widened before taking her chin in his hand and tilting her head so she'd look up at him as he returned her kiss properly. Carri's head spun with delight and butterflies quickly made their home in her stomach once more. When he broke the kiss, they both stared at each other in awe. "Ewwwwww! Sam and Carri sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Carri with a baby carriage!" Vincent paused his teasing song as his jaw dropped. "Wait! There's not gonna be a baby is there?! I don't wanna live with a crying baby, Sam!"

Carri couldn't help but burst out laughing, while Sam turned as red as her cranberries she was growing at Breezy Hills. "N-NO! There is not gonna be a baby, Vincent! And you did not SEE that."

"Oh, yes I did~" The younger brother practically sang. "Mom is gonna ground you for suuuure."

"Aw, shit. Look, I will bring you candy every day for a week, if you don't tell anyone! Not mom, not Jas, not ANYONE." Sam's eyes were pleading as he tried to negotiate with his younger sibling.

"Mmm… Two candy bars every day for a week, and you clean my room when Jas comes over!"

"Fine." Sam grumbled as his brother strolled out of the room with a triumphant smile. "Kids these days, man. Can't bribe 'em like you used too." His shoulders slumped in defeat.

After the two finished cleaning his room, Carri glanced at her cell phone for the time. "I can't believe it's already 5:00. Let's go ice the cake so I can get the bass and vegetables going." Gently, she wiped the sweat from her forehead with a rag after washing her hands. "Vince, wanna help put the chocolate icing on?" The young boy shook his head, muttering about cooties and returned watching his program on television. "Welp, since we have cooties, I guess you are gonna help me, Sam."

The blonde straightened his jacket and tugged at the blue jean collar. "Well, looks like I am at your service, ma'am." Carri playfully smacked him before grabbing a butter knife. "So….how do we do this?"

"You really are clueless, aren't you?" She pulled her hair back into a hair tie. "First the three separate layers need to have the top iced, then stack them and put the icing around it and touch up the top." She pulled out a pastry decorating bag with a small nozzle. "After that we write on the top with a different color with this."

Sam nodded and took a knife as well, following Carri's movements. After his first few mistakes, she decided that his less attractive decorated pieces would definitely be the bottom two layers. After carefully stacking them, she worked her magic and carefully coated the sides and top of the final layer. Her work was borderline professional and Sam nodded his approval. "So, now we just write on it with the bagged blue icing? Seems simple enough." Carri took the bag and made a few small blue flowers around the edges before changing the nozzle to a more fine size made for writing. She carefully wrote 'Happy Birthday, Mom' since this was supposed to be the boy's surprise for her. "Calling her mom already?" Sam teased as he nudged her.

Carri's face flushed and before she took some of the remaining icing and smeared it on Sam's cheek. "You know that wasn't it!" Fire lit in Sam's eyes as the competition raged on. Snagging the icing bag from Carri, he grinned mischievously and dabbed a bit on her nose. The boy stuck his tongue out playfully as a full on icing war broke out between the two adults. After the final blow was dealt, Carri glanced at the clock. "I only have an hour left to clean up and finish dinner. Will you go double check that Vincent didn't make another mess and take out the trash?"

As if on cue, as seven struck, Jodi walked in the door, exhausted from her day of exercise with the girls. Her eyes widened at the sight that unfolded before her. The living room was spotless and a delicious aroma drifted from the kitchen. A banner decorated by Vincent that read 'happy birthday, mom!' hung from the doorway that led into the dining room. The table was set and the three who prepared everything sat at the table waiting. "Happy birthday!"


	7. Stardew Valley Fair

**A/N: I am so sorry this took so long! I'm not gonna waste anymore time getting this chapter out though, but DO KNOW I'M SORRY. Have the chapter.**

Chapter 7: Stardew Valley Fair

Carri screamed as she looked in the mirror. Her hair shined a bright violet. "WHAT THE HELL?!" She yelled, startling Addie who sat at her feet in the bathroom, as she ran her hand through the purple locks. Her hair color was a more vibrant color than Abigail's. _Surely, Pierre's has hair dye. I know Abby doesn't shop at Joja._ After tugging on her boots, the farmer made her way Abby's home. She was a girl on a mission, especially with the stardew valley fair being a day away.

The chime of the doorbell echoed softly through the store, however, Pierre was not at his counter. She glanced about for the store clerk, but instead of finding him, shouts poured from the home portion of the shop. "Yoba, sometimes I can't even believe you are my dad! Maybe I don't want to run your shop all the time. Maybe I want to have a life- **MY LIFE.** I'm sick of all this 'It's not ladylike' bullshit!"

"Abigail, a lady should not be spending time in a graveyard at night, and your obsession with the occult is getting out of hand! All I am saying is while you are under my roof, you follow my rules! Watching the store once in a while isn't going to kill you."

A door slamming caused Carri to jump and quickly move into the hair care aisle and busy herself looking through the shelves. "H-hey! Abby, can I get your help with something?" Her voice came out quiet and mouselike in the presence of her fuming friend.

Abigail's eyes locked with Carri's and her demeanor changed swiftly. Her tear stained cheeks were all the evidence that remained of her previous engagement with her father, as a smile spread across her features. "What the hell did you do to your hair? I mean, I'm flattered and all that you want your hair like mine, but-"

Desperation filled Carri's voice. "I know, will you pleeeease help me fix it?" She gripped her friend's arms. "Obviously, my previous attempt did not go as I wanted. I need my hair and makeup expert."

If there was one thing about Abby, she loved when her skills were praised. "Well, if you need an expert~" The punk girl waved her hand and fanned herself. "I guess I can't turn you away. Grab the box you want, and we will go to your place and give you a makeover. The dye is on me." With a wink, Abby left the store with Carrissa on her heels, box in hand.

After the girls had Carri's hair at a waiting stage of the dye process, the two sat in the living room of the farm house and played mario kart. After a few intense laps, conversation picked up. "I always hated the new rainbow road levels." Abby sighed as she leaned back on the couch. "So, back at the store, how much did you hear?" Carri began to argue that she didn't know what the girl was talking about, but before she could Abigail cut her off. "I heard the bell chime."

"Sorry… I didn't want to bring it up again, when you finally seemed to be in a good mood again." The farmer bit her lip. "For what it's worth, I don't think your interest in the occult is overboard." _Of course you don't, Carri. Magic is real. Freaking wizards are real. Little forest spirit alien things are real. Who's to say Abby can't talk to the dead with her ouija board._

"That is a little weird coming from Miss Logic, but thanks." A shrill alarm and vibrations of Abby's phone, indicated it was time to wash out the dye. "Well, let's get you back to your raven-haired beauty shall we?" _Please._ Carri nodded and followed Abby back to her bathroom where they rinsed the remaining dye out of her hair. "What in Yoba's name? This can't be right, I used this stuff a million times. I know it works." Carri reached forward while still leaning over her tub, grabbing locks of her hair and pulling them toward her for inspection. _Purple… Thanks, Wizard, I hate it._ "Yoba, Carri, I'm sorry, there must be something wrong with the dye, though I can't imagine what. It full on looked black when it was setting… and even stained your tub a bit."

Releasing a breath she didn't realize she was holding, Carri sighed. "It's no big deal, Abs. Looks like we get to be twins for the festival tomorrow though." She threw her hands up in defeat. "Honestly, it doesn't look bad. It was just-" _Fucking magic._ "A shock? I guess."

"I'd say. How did you even manage to mess it up so badly?" If it hadn't been for Abby's laugh after that statement, Carrissa would have gone on the defensive.

"No idea." The purple haired farmer chuckled before throwing her control at Abby. "Ya know what, instead of going home tonight, why don't you stay over? We'll have a girls' night and play Mario Kart Double Dash or Sonic Adventure 2 all night?"

"I'm so down! We can go to the festival together tomorrow!" Abigail's excitement was as contagious as it came. The night passed with both girls playing and taking turns in different games until they got bored with each title. "Oh. My. YOBA. CARRI. You have a karaoke machine! Why haven't we been singing our lungs out?! What songs do you have!"

 _Oh no…_ A feverish blush crossed her cheeks. "Well, you see… it's mostly stuff I listened to in highschool. I bought a lot of songs I liked back then." As Abby booted up the software, Carri felt her heart sink. _Let the judgement begin._ Playlist after playlist of fallout boy, my chemical romance, three days grace, linkin park, paramore, simple plan, and so many others she listened to flooded her screen. Hastily, she shot up and blocked Abby's view of the television. "Are you truly prepared to go to hell with me before you tell a soul what's on here? Or that I sing at all?"

"Yeah, yeah, just move so we can start!" Taking in the music, Abby's grin became borderline Cheshire Cat-like. "We are gonna have a blast! I know most of this!"

Carri's alarm on her phone startled her as she smacked it off the arm of the couch. Her throat felt raw and sore from all the singing her and Abby had done at way too loud of a volume. _I never would have been able to do that in the city without having police called over a noise complaint. I guess having a large plot of land away from everyone else can have its perks._ She glanced over at the girl beside her. Abby slept with her head tilted back, snoring, her arm dangling off the couch, and her legs tossed over Carri's form.

"Abby, wake uuuuuuup. I have animals to feed before we get ready for the fair!"

Abby practically bounced with excitement as they approached the fair. "Have you ever been before? I just thought about that. This is your first actual year here."

Carri paused for a moment as she tried to remember actually spending any time in the valley as a child, but couldn't remember. "You'd think papa would have brought me here for a fair at least once, but I really don't remember if he ever did. So I think it's safe to say this will be my first time."

"Ahhhh~ there is so much to do with you! Between the funnel cakes and terrible food stalls, the games, the rides, oh- and I can't forget the fortune teller! I get mine told every year, and it's sometimes creepy how accurate she can be!"

"Fortune teller, huh? Maybe she can tell me how I will do on the farm."

"Or maaaaaybe she will tell you about looooove~" Abby glanced at the farmer and wiggled her eyebrows. "Hmmm, but who would your Pelican Town match be?" Carri could feel her face heating up as Abigail continued. "I know not Seb. You hate his guts. Maybe Harvey? Or Elliot? Or maaaaybe you have a thing for our own little sunshine boy~"

"Y-yeah right." Carri busied herself by tugging on her black, form fitting skirt. Even though she wore fishnet leggings beneath them, her skirt still rode slightly higher than she wanted. Equipped with a pair of Abby's combat boots, a blue tank and a black leather vest she felt more like a member of the band or maybe one of their fans. Her sunglasses she always had perched on top of her head were replaced with a single black rose pinned in her hair. _I've never felt more like someone's doll in my life. Wearing all this makes me feel like I'm someone else entirely. Maybe I'm just in my farm clothes too often._

As they entered the town square, Carri's demeanor changed entirely. Her self-deprecating quickly faded into awe as the town center unfolded from the normal gossip corner to a beautifully set up world of wonder. Rides like ferris wheels, rocking ships that tilted, space crafts, slides, mirror houses and more were scattered about. Food vendors were set up around the attractions as well as game booths. The farmer's attention raced from one game to the next. Basketball games, a fishing tent, a strength test, a bi-colored wheel, and dart throwing games littered the area. "Abby! Where do we even start?!" Her excitement boiled over and her friend giggled before taking her arm and moving into a line for an unlimited ride stamp.

The two violet headed girls were sharing a funnel cake, when a friend approached them from behind. "Carri? What did you do to your hair?" Maru ran her fingers through the newly "dyed" hair. "Are you Abby's twin for today or something?"

The line of questioning resorted in a snort from Abby. "Let's just say, Carri had a dying experiment go wrong." She took a long sip of her drink before spotting Seb and Sam coming in from the north entrance. "Oh! The guys are here! Carri, you should meet up with us later, but get some time with Maru in too!" With a dismissive wave, she was off.

Carri turned to face Maru. "So wanna go for some rides?" Taking her last bite of funnel cake, she stood and trashed the plate.

Maru shook her head. "After eating _that_ ," she pointed at the funnel cake vendor with a grimace, "I'd give it some time before you hopped on a ride if you don't want to be sick, and honestly the rides aren't my thing. But if you want to play some games, I could give you company. Most of these are fixed, and I don't want you wasting too much money." The inventor gave her friend a smile and together they strolled towards the game booths.

Carrissa bit her lip as she chose the destination for her first dart. There were still plenty of balloons up which meant plenty of opportunities for prizes. Deciding for a cluster of balloons in the middle where she was sure to hit at least one balloon, she tossed her piece. "Better luck next time." The gamekeep said as he shook his head.

Maru placed her hand on Carri's shoulder. "This one is fixed. Put more power into your throw, also the ones towards the outer edges of the board are normally the bigger prizes. Most people go for the center to hope to hit one. If your trajectory is correct then-" the nurse paused while doing quick math and muttered some numbers. "Aim there and you should get it!"

Nodding, Carri aimed where Maru pointed and threw her dart with more power in the toss than before. Successfully, she popped the balloon and the worker moved to check the paper under the deflated balloon. "Large prize." He motioned to the wall to the left. "Pick any one item from this wall, or two small prizes from the lowest shelf." While Carri had her eye on the bear holding a guitar, she scanned the rest of the shelf and found a plush robot.

"The robot please." When the man awarded her with her chosen prize, she handed it over to her best friend, who she owed it to anyway for pointing out how to win. A smile spread across the other girl's face with a slight blush tinting her tan, sun kissed skin. A small mutter of thanks fell from Maru's lips before they moved to the next game.

A few games later, Maru parted ways with Carri, leaving her alone glancing for what to do next. If one thing was for certain, the fair was more fun with friends. She sighed as she looked at the beautiful sky as night began to fall. The colors from the rides shown radiantly in the dusk light. It wasn't hard to lose herself to her thoughts in the scene before her, until a pair of hands gripped her waist and startled her. Jumping half out of her skin, she turned prepared to swing at whoever grabbed her, but all aggression towards the offending hands faded when she saw the smiling blond. "Sam, you almost just got punched!"

"Sorry. Had to pull you back to earth before you flew away on me. That and Abby finally took a shift with Seb so I could sneak away and get some time with you." He glanced over her outfit and hair. "Is it weird that the purple looks good on you? Also I really dig the rocker chick look, and if Abby wasn't just joking about you having one hell of a singing voice, maybe you will sing some time for the band?" Carri felt her face flush. "Well, since Abs already fed you, wanna hit some rides?"

"I've been wanting to all day! Please!" Sam took her hand in his and laced their fingers as they walked towards the different rides. The two started on the "cyclone", a two person cart ride that went in a circle and had wave like motion. The ride conductor came to make sure everyone was fastened in and the music began as the ride started. It was loud with white flashing lights, and the gravity slid Carrissa until she was attached to Sam's right side. Despite her trying to move back to original position so she wouldn't crush him, the ride had other plans. "I'm sorry." Her response was mousy and almost lost in the loud music that thundered as the ride picked up speed.

Sam shook his head and placed an arm around Carrissa's shoulders, and grinned as he held the girl to him. "Don't be." She felt her heart hammered in her chest like a caged animal desperate to be free. _Calm down, Carri. He's gonna feel your heart running a full marathon._ Lucky for her though, if he did notice, he didn't say. As the ride slowed to a halt, they waited to be let out before heading to the next ride.

The Starship 3000. This ride in particular calmed her nerves as she boarded and realized there was not duo seating. Instead there were places you stood against a pad that moved up and down as the ship turned. "So-" Sam started. "This is your first fair here? How are you enjoying it so far?" They took their spots and waited for the ship to fill with more people.

"Honestly, I'm loving it. Me and Abby shared funnel cake, which can't be good for us in any way, but oh yoba, was it good. Then me and Maru played some games, but I still want to play more of them." _And now, the rides with you. This is probably the best part._

"If you haven't had your fill of games yet, we can hit some up after we ride a few more things. Since Abby kidnapped Seb, we don't exactly have our grumpy pack mule here with us." Carrissa couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of Sebastian grumpily holding all of Abby and Sam's winnings while they went on all the rides the programmer wouldn't even think about getting on. "If he is good for anything at this festival, it's definitely his lack of wanting to do anything."

Once the ride started, the mechanics of the chairs began to pull the pads they leaned against rise up in clunky movements. Sam's rose first and Carri couldn't help but laugh as hers followed shortly after. Sam did his best to move his legs to where they were bent. The pressure on their bodies made it hard to move at all, but Carrissa tried to do the same as the ride picked up pace and kept them lifted in the air. Sam reached out and tapped his knuckles against her balled fist, before taking her hand in his once more. It was hard for the girl to breathe, but she couldn't pinpoint if it was the ride's pressure or Sam just being so damn cute all of a sudden. Either way, the public flirting lit a fire in her heart. _He's not ashamed of the thought of us. He doesn't care if people see or not._ Even though his affection was shown through just small gestures here and there, he wasn't afraid to do them. _Maybe I shouldn't be either._

After a few more rides, Carrissa noticed a ferris wheel looking ride. After boarding the ride, and the conductor shutting the door to an enclosed chair she knew something was wrong. "Uh...Sam… this isn't a ferris wheel...is it?" Her color drained as the enclosed seat was now rocking.

"You thought this was a second ferris wheel?" He asked with a concern painted on his face. "No, this is more like...a flippy thing. It does the same overall movement as a ferris wheel, but each individual cart, flips and moves. Sometimes it flips on its own, but mostly we can control if it does. Like if you want it to do it more oft-"

"No- Please don't." She looked over at the conductor to ask to be let off, but they were already almost to the top. Her grip on the bar tightened until her knuckles were white.

"H-hey, it'll be alright." That was when the first flip happened. Sam reassuringly rubbed her back, but Carrissa refused to open her eyes. _Trapped. It's so small here. I want to be somewhere else. Please anywhere but here._ Another flip. "Carri?!" Sam grabbed her frosted fingers in his. Ice was freezing the handlebar where she gripped. A soft blue glow enveloped the two of them, and suddenly there was a yell from a woman in line for a different ride. The two were no longer on their ride, and instead had "cut" in front of a woman and child in line for bumper cars. Sam apologized to the furious woman, and pulled Carri away as blood trickled from her nose.

 _What is going on?_ Carrissa took in the setting surrounding them. They were just on the ride. _I was panicking...and then-_ "Sam, are you okay? I-I didn't hurt you did I?" She looked him over looking for any injury she may have caused. _While I have read a teleportation spell in a book Rasmodious owned, I never learned it. Let alone practiced it! To be able to do one, without meaning to-_

"Am I okay? Are you?" He grabbed a napkin from one of the food vendor tables and wiped the blood from her face. "You're bleeding."

Carrissa nodded slightly. "I-" She glanced around them. "I think we should avoid rides for just a bit. Do you mind if we do some games? Or grab some pizza? As good as that funnel cake was, it was nowhere near a substitute for 'real' food."

"Yeah, we will take a break from that for a while. Maybe if you are feeling it later, we can do the actual ferris wheel. How about I show off my awesome muscles?" He flexed his arms and pointed to the strength test.

Carri let one arm hang down as she wrapped the other around herself. "Um, I hate to break it to you, but Maru said that one is super rigged and wont go over a certain point. That one can't be won."

"Well, maybe it is, but maybe a guy willing to use all his strength for a pretty girl, can beat it." He patted her head gently before pulling her over to the impossible machine. Before she could argue with him further, he paid the man running the game and took a large hammer into his hands. "This one's for you, Carri!" He yelled embarrassingly while swinging the Mallet over head down as hard as he could manage. The gauge shot up, and in one single blow knocked the bell. Carri and the game keep's eyes both widened. Alex, who had been trying at that game to impress Haley all day shot a glare at Sam who just shrugged in response. "So, my dear, pick a prize." He said as gestured to the wall.

She scanned the wall behind the machine. All the prizes were large, probably because people weren't supposed to be able to win this one. "Um…" That is when she saw it, the bear from before, but slightly larger than the other game. "The brown bear with the red guitar." She hugged Sam from behind and mumbled into his jacket. After being handed the plush, she took a deep breath and took Sam's hand in hers as they walked, one hand intertwined with his and the other arm holding her bear close to her. Both of the young adults faces were stained crimson as they approached people they knew.

The two continued playing games until a prize finally caught Sam's eye. "OH YOBA." He sped towards the wall lined with guitars. "NO WAY! NO WAY! WHY IS THAT HERE?!" Carri followed his gaze until her eyes locked on with his dream guitar. A Schecter Omen Seven String Guitar. It's white body looked more angelic than omen like, but Carri shrugged the thought away.

"My turn." The girl said as she stepped up to a shooting game. This one was by far rigged. You had so many loaded shots and had to take out the center of a paper target. It would take many shots to clear out the center so she couldn't afford to miss, and this particular game was more expensive to play, but with that prize. It was well worth the cost. Not to mention the amount of tickets she'd win would also let her afford a very valuable item she wanted to try and share with a certain person.

Carri held the gun, mumbled under her breath and breathed out deeply to steady herself before unloading the gun. After she was done firing, the older man running the booth went to check her target. He nodded as he inspected the paper. "Pick your prize. We have a sharp shooter in town."

Selecting Sam's guitar, she couldn't stop the giant grin that spread over her. She turned happily and handed it to him. "You better play something for me next time I'm over." She poked her tongue out at the boy before her. Sam however was lost staring at the guitar in his hands. The man from behind the counter gave them a case to put it in and the two headed off for much awaited pizza.

As they ate their slices, Abigail and a walking wall of plushies joined them. Sebastian huffed as he sat the objects on the table. Sam laughed heartily as he looked over at Abby. "Couldn't go easy on him this year? You might actually make him build muscle at this rate. Anyway, look what Carri contributed to our band!" He reached behind him and pulled the guitar out of the case gently. "We are gonna be soooo great."

"Hate to break it to you, but a change of guitar isn't gonna up your skill level." Sebastian teased.

Carri stayed silent throughout their exchange. Even though she was good friends with Sam and Abby, she still felt like an odd one out when Sebastian was there as well. She stood to dismiss herself, holding her bear close. "I'll see you guys in a bit. I have one more thing i have to do." _I've got to change that if me and Sam are gonna-_ Carri mentally slapped herself. _We aren't even dating… Why am I thinking like this?_

When she finally reached her destination, she looked at the spinning wheel. Double or nothing. She took a deep breath and bet all her tickets. _Based on me and Maru's theory...if I go green, I shouldn't fail. It's more likely._ "Green!" She called as she spun the wheel as hard as she could. The hand spun until it finally slowed to a stop on her color of choice. The woman handed her the tickets and she went to the special ticket trade in stall. "One stardrop fruit, please." After placing the item in her bag, she weaved her way through some of the stalls, but instead of finding Sam, she found Abby.

"Carri! It's time for us to go to the fortune teller! There isn't much time left for the festival. So let's hurry!" Before the other violet haired girl could oppose, her ecstatic friend pulled her along. She was surprised to see the wizard leaving the booth as they approached.

"Evening young adept." Was all the mysterious man said as the girls entered the tent. _I would have loved to talk to him had it not been for Abby being here._

"I'll go first!" Abby stated before going to the woman sitting before a crystal ball. Carri couldn't help but roll her eyes. Maybe the Wizard came to see if she was actually a fortune teller or a fraud. Either way, she wasn't getting out of it with how excited Abigail was. A few minutes passed and Abby returned looking like a melting pot of mixed emotions. Her excitement was long gone, and she almost looked as if she was going to cry. "Anyway! It's your turn! Let's see what you get!" She tried to return to her playful, happy state, but there were obvious cracks in her armour.

Carrissa sighed as she stepped into the tent. "Ah, yes… my crystal ball is swirling with visions of your future, young one. Would you care for me to read your fortune? If so it will be one hundred gold." The girl sighed as she handed over her gold. "Hmm...I see you lying on a cot...it looks like a hospital. Maru is there to keep you company while you recover. What a nice friend. Now I see you and Sam on the beach. You are crying, but not unhappy. Something important must be happening. The crystal ball has moved on… AH! You are in combat! A skeleton lunges for you! There is something dreadful bearing down on you in the dark, hopefully you will be ready to face it." She grimaced as she spoke that last part. "Oh- but what is this. I see… Your father. He seems sad. He's thinking about you and will be making his presence more potent in your upcoming events in life."

Carri stood abruptly from the chair she sat in, knocking the wooden stool over. "My father! What do you know about my father?! He's been absent since I was five! Why would he show up now? He can stay sad for all I care. He was a drunk, and he left." Hot tears boiled to the surface.

"Ah- the crystal ball has gone dim. That is all I can do for you, young one. Now keep in mind, the future's not set in stone! Whatever I told you today can still be changed, if you set your heart on it! Farewell."

"Yeah, yeah, you fake." She stormed out of the tent as tears fell freely.

Abby stood off to the side waiting for her. "I'm sorry… I take it you didn't care for your fortune either? I shouldn't have recommended this." She ran her fingers through her hair nervously. "Let's head back…"

Carri composed herself on the way back to the tables and chairs where Sebastian, Maru and Sam sat. "So-" She reached into her bag and pulled the wrapped fruit out. "I say let's end this night on better terms. They say this thing tastes amazing." Carri broke off each point of the star and handed it out around the table. Maru. Sam. Sebastian. Abigail. And herself. On three?" She asked the group. Everyone nodded and Sebastian gave her a questioning look. He doubted she wanted to share with him. "To new friends and old…" She glanced to Seb. "And to being the masters of our own futures." The whole group nodded and counted to three before taking a bite together.

"Holy shit!" Sam exclaimed. "It tastes like pizza!~ I could get behind this fruit."

"No, it doesn't, it tastes like chocolate cake!" Abigail chimed in.

"Uh- I don't know what is wrong with you guys. It tastes like sashimi." Seb added. Getting stared at by everyone at the table.

"Fish? Seriously? It tastes like kiwi. I like it." Carri shook her head at Sebastian. _I don't know what kind of food you guys are eating...but at least it tastes like fruit to me._ Maru looked down at the piece of fruit in her hand, staring at it with confusion. "Well, Maru? What is it like to you?"

The girl turned red as everyone's eyes were on her awaiting her answer. "U-um… you aren't gonna believe me when I say it, but it reminds me of cheesy cauliflower." Laughter erupted from the group around the table.

"Agree to disagree?" Carri offered and the group agreed.

* * *

 **A/N: If you guys are enjoying this drop me a review! Its thanks to the followers of this story that I'm continuing! So thank you to everyone who is reading! I LOVE YOU ALL. And feel free to add me on tumblr. I'm Shrialaharra on there!**


	8. Keeping Secrets

Chapter 8: Keeping Secrets

 _ **Darkness,**_ _the young girl banged repeatedly against the wooden door where her only source of light peeked from beneath. "Please, please let me out, Daddy! I'll be good!" Tears burned as they trailed down her dirty cheeks._ _ **Scared.**_ _Fear bled from her every pore as she wailed at the top of her lungs._ _ **Alone.**_ _She was all alone in the house. Her father and mother had been gone for what felt like all day. No matter how loud she cried, no one came for her. The child took her place in a corner and hugged her knees to her chest._

 _It was hours before a sound echoed through the home. A door slams shut. "We did not agree to raise this fucking monster, Eva! We wanted a child! And your father- Never mind. Just put_ _ **IT**_ _to bed and keep it out of my sight."_

 _Light filtered in, pushing away the dark as the wooden door creaked open. Her mother entered with an apologetic smile, pulled the girl into her arms and brushed her sticky strands of hair from her face. "It's okay. I'm here now." How many times would she hear that? When would her mother protect her instead of watch as she was hit by her drunken father? When would her mother not let her be thrown into that dark, cold room? "Shhh, it's okay. I'm here now."_

"Oi! Carri! We're here now." Sam waved his arms in front of the violet haired girl then paused. "You okay? You're crying." His hand gently reached up and wiped the tears from her cheeks. Carri jumped at the touch, but didn't pull away. _Sam… I'm sorry. Way to end a good night._ "What's wrong? I know I was making some pretty lame conversation on the way over, but I didn't mean to upset you."

"No. It wasn't you, Sammy. I just- I lost myself for a minute there." She rubbed her arm absentmindedly before realizing just how close Sam was still standing to her. She hoped the darkness hid her blush. "Are you ever scared about the future?" The question seemed to catch him off guard, just as she was surprised by it coming from her mouth. "Abby wanted us to get our futures told. I thought it was all hocus pocus, ya know?" A laugh. "Coming from me that probably sounds stupid. I just- I'm afraid of what's beyond my control. A few minutes in that room, a crystal ball, and some old lady telling me exactly what I didn't want to hear really shook me up."

"Carri-." Sam put a hand on her shoulder. "We don't know what's gonna happen, and despite what she said, I like to think we are the masters of our own futures. Or well, I hope anyway. Otherwise I'm gonna be living with my mom forever, confused on what music to play." Carrissa couldn't help but laugh. "Though now, I have a little more inspiration to write music."

His bright smile beamed under the porchlight to her farmhouse, and before she knew it, his hands had moved to her waist and his lips found hers. It was gentle and more drawn out than the kiss in his room, leaving her wanting more when he pulled away. _All good things will end, Carrissa. No one wants to be with a monster like you._ Her thoughts gnawed at her as he stepped back. "Well, I better head back before mom wonders what's up. See you around, Carri."

"See ya." She said under her breath as he departed towards town.

Carrissa held her breath as she searched the wizard's library for anything remotely close to what she was wanting. Scanning through spell books, she sighed as she came to the conclusion that there was not a spell for what she wanted. She tossed a book across the floor in defeat as she slumped to her knees. She didn't want to ask the wizard, but if it came down to it, that's what she would do.

The purple haired man, sat across the room, an eyebrow raised as he watched her. "Perhaps if you asked, I could be of assistance?"

"If you already can read minds, why should I ask you questions?" Carri countered bitterly.

"I told you. I do respect your privacy, Miss Moongrove. I will not read your mind all the time." He shook his head before closing the distance across the room. "Now again, what is it that you are looking for?"

A sigh of defeat fell from her lips. "Do you have like...some sort of tracking spell? Not necessarily to track, but to check on someone?"

The man offered a sad smile. "I'm afraid I have no such thing. Or else I would have used it as well. May I trust you not to tell anyone if I share a concern with you?"

Carri was puzzled. _What could he possibly have that is a secret? No one knows much about him to begin with._ "Sure. I won't tell."

"I believe one of the townsfolk is my daughter. If I had a spell to see how people were doing… I would have checked on her. Or my ex wife, but that is a story for another day."

Carri's jaw dropped, "Excuse me? Your daughter?" Immediately her thoughts drifted to Abby. _Her love of the occult. Her constantly saying she is nothing like her father._ "Oh my, Yoba." _Oh, Yoba...that time Caroline mentioned she used to take strolls down to this tower. Pierre and his concerns that Abby wasn't his biological daughter. OH, YOBA._ "Why have you not said anything to her?!" _Then again, what good would come from it? She would probably be more hurt that she had been lied to her entire life, and what would it do to Pierre if his concern was made fact?_

"So you understand my predicament." He stated solemnly. "I cannot tear apart a family just to see my daughter, who I have had nothing to do with all her life." All Carrissa could do was nod. The story was sad, but the outcome of Abby finding out would be way worse.

"I'll keep your secret. Don't worry."


	9. Spirit's Eve

Ch. 9 Spirit's Eve

Fall seemed to be speeding by for Carrissa as she busied herself with all her different crops. She could only hope she made enough profit to make it through her first winter on the farm. Her magic had taken priority over her crops in the previous seasons, and she couldn't help but panic about having to ask for help to make it through the season ahead. Shaking her head, she stepped out to harvest her pumpkins. She loaded down her Papa's old wagon, and began pulling the produce into town. _What were you thinking by moving out here?_

Her thoughts shrouded with dark clouds the entire walk to Pierre's. Caroline stood outside watering her flower bed outside the shop when Carri arrived. Her eyes lit up when she saw the pumpkins. "Oh, Carri, you grew pumpkins! Those are Abby's favorite. It's a yearly tradition of ours to carve a jack-o-lantern. May I buy one from you?"

"Uh, sure. Pick one out." Carrissa watched as the woman browsed her produce for the biggest pumpkin she could find.

"Ya know, Abby has been worried about you recently. Have you two gotten into a fight? She's been in her room so much more than normal. I guess I'm just worrying about her." The mother laughed lightly. "Maybe when you are selling your pumpkins inside, you could check on her for me? This time of year has always been her favorite, so it's unlike her to stay cooped up."

A simple nod is all Carri offered as she headed inside after accepting Caroline's payment. "Ms. Moongrove! It's so nice of you to stop by!" Pierre eyed the cart of pumpkins and offered a smile as he browsed her produce and made his purchase. After selling her wares, Carrissa strode her way to Abby's door. "Hey, Abs? Can I come in?" A muffled sound from the other side which could only be assumed a confirmation was heard before the farmer took a step inside. Looking over to the goth girl's bed, she noticed a lump and sighed. "You gonna stay in bed all day?"

"And what if I am?" The girl clenched the sheets in her hand until her knuckles were white. "What does it matter?"

Carrissa shook her head. "And are you just gonna skip Spirit's Eve tonight? I've been looking forward to doing the maze with you! Remember when you told me Maru won't do it and Sam won't get far?"

"Because they won't." She stated between a sniffle. When Carri pulled the covers off her, tears were rolling down her face. "I don't even want to go tonight. This fortune teller crap is all in my head still." The farmer stiffened beside her. _Please don't be about her father._ "I don't know how to go about it. It's Sebastian. We are in a band together, and we hang out all the time!" Carrissa couldn't help but sigh in relief then laugh. _Thank YOBA._ "This isn't funny, Carri! I've had a crush on Sebastian like most of my life! We even dated a few years ago!"

"Oh, I didn't know you had dated before! That's cute! Why not tell him how you feel? You guys seem pretty close."

Wiping her tears, Abigail sat up in the bed. "He left me last time because I annoyed him. He still acts like that now…. I was considering giving him a bouquet tonight, but I can't."

"I never took Seb for the flower type, so I think you will be fine."

"Do you not know the tradition here?" Abby laughed. "When you want to date someone, you give them a bouquet. My dad sells them here, but that's part of why I can't! Can you imagine me trying to buy one, and my dad being all protective and telling me no?"

Carrissa thought for a moment. "Yeah, that could be rough, but why not just buy one when you are watching the store one day? Your dad would have gotten paid for it, and not have to know it was you."

"Yoba, Carri, you are a genius!" She hugged the farmer tight as she could. "Now just to find out when to give it to Sebastian! I'm thinking either tonight or the Dance of Moonlight Jellies. He loves both of those. Anyway, enough about me, how have you been? It's been a hot minute since we have hung out. You avoiding us or something?"

Carrissa could feel her cheeks heat as she waved her arms defensively. "I've just been busy with training!" _SHIT._ "I-I mean… in the mines! Ya know, fighting monsters and all that!"

"You must be getting pretty good at it if you have been coming out unharmed." Abby stated proudly. "I wish I could go down, but my parents would freak. Anyway, if we are going to this festival. I better go take a shower and get ready. See you tonight, Carri!"

The rest of the day went by uneventfully for Carrissa until ten when she walked into the transformed town center. Everything was so well decorated. Pierre had a shop set up with pumpkins to carve and some already made Jack-o-lanterns. The normal area leading to the community center was decked out with overgrown maze walls. _How did they even set this up?_

"Evening, young adept. So, what do you think of the square? I feel it may be a little overboard." The wizard's presence was unnoticeable until he spoke.

"Well, that explains how the maze was set up." Carri said with a laugh. "Since when do you actually set up for festivals? That seems like a… friendly person kind of thing to do. I wouldn't expect help from you."

Rasmodius shrugged. "The town doing this alone would make it too"; he struggled to think of the word. "Childish. More like your normal city kind of gimmick. It would be a shame for the magic in the valley to be mocked in such a manner. So I volunteered to make it more entertaining. Anyway, I am off to speak with an old friend. Enjoy your night."

As the hermit departed, Carrissa came across Sam's band all admiring a large cage. "Hey, guys." When she saw what stalked beyond the cage bars, her blood ran cold. "S-skeletons?" Looking to her right, she saw Marlon, from the adventurer's guild. "Marlon! Why are these here? Aren't they from the ice caverns in the mines? How is this not dangerous?!"

"Don't worry, Carri! We have it under control. They are contained, and never before have monsters come out of the caves on their own accord. Monitored, these will be fine. Go enjoy your festivities."

Carri's blood boiled as she walked the few feet back to her friends, giving her concern glances at her outburst. Sam placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Carri. I'm sure Lewis wouldn't have allowed it if it was an actual danger. Jas and Vince are here after all."

"Yeah!" Abby agreed. "They are probably fake ones anyway. Robots if you will. Anyway, how about we go through this maze now! It's gonna be a blast." Her enthusiasm overflowed as she fistpumped the air.

 _This doesn't feel right, but I can't ruin their fun either. It has to be under control._ "Yeah, let's go." Confidently, she marched toward the maze ready to conquer its trial.

After a few wrong turns the group made it to a path with zombie hands sticking from the ground. When one grabbed Maru by the ankle, she quickly fled after being freed, stating this was "not exactly her kind of thing." Not too much further in, Abigail refused to go on because of spiders. "Abby! You said you would be the one to make it to the end!" Carri half whined.

She shook her head adamantly. "There were never big ass spiders before. Nope. No. NOT GOING."

Sebastian let out a sigh. "You and Sam keep going. I will walk scaredy pants here out of the maze." And with that, there were two.

Carrissa couldn't help but steal a glance at Sam. He seemed to be enjoying the maze still, and that encouraged her to do her best and make it to the end. However, after an hour of twists and turns, the two seemed to be at a dead end. The farmer couldn't help but release a sigh. _I could have sworn this was the right way. We've gone everywhere else!_ The sunshine boy however just smiled. "Well, at least if we are lost, we are lost together."

 _For some reason, the thought of that isn't so bad. I wonder…._ With a burst of confidence (never mind the blush on her face), Carri grabbed Sam's hands and pulled him against her. Her back rested against the maze wall, and Sam followed her lead. He wrapped his arms around her waist, their bodies pressed together, and leaned in for a kiss, but not before the shrubbery behind Carrissa gave way and they fell through. The violet haired girl yelped under Sam's sudden weight on top of her. "Sorry! Shit." Sam's face was as crimson as a harvest moon as he stood and helped her up. "Are you alright?"

Carrissa nodded before taking his hand in hers. "I think we may have just found the way." She pointed to a tunnel with small torches. "I can promise you that isn't normally here, so I'm assuming we're close." Hand in hand, they walked through the tunnel, trying to avoid the topic of the previous flirty disaster. Once through they entered a clearing. "Sammy, look! A treasure chest!" Together they opened it, removed the golden pumpkin and exited the maze.


End file.
